Transfiguration, Tutors, and Tears
by Where-We-Are-Just-And-Loyal
Summary: Lily needs help with transfiguration, and something more too...


Disclaimer: The characters are JKR's

Transfiguration, Tutors, and Tears

"Miss Evans! Mr. Potter! Stay after class, please" Professor McGonagall said.

Lily nodded and replied "Yes professor" James merely nodded. While from the outside Lily was calm, cool, and collected, inside she was panicking and close to tears. _Oh shoot, it's because I'm failing at transfiguration, right? Or, maybe she wants to discuss heads business? No no no, that can't be it. They're probably regretting making me head girl and considering removing me from the position. Yes that's it._

The bell rang and there was a mad dash for the door. Lily shoved her books messily into her bag and hurried up to McGonagall's desk.

"Potter, please wait outside for a moment" McGonagall instructed. "Now Miss Evans, you recall that Transfiguration has never been your best subject?" _um, obviously_ "I have decided that you will be meeting with a tutor every week from now on. If you improve, you may stay in my class. If you continue at this rate, I will be forced to remove you from this class." Lily nodded, teetering on the edge of tears. _Lily Evans pull it together you. Do. Not. Cry._ "Mr. Potter!" James entered the room looking confused.

"Yes, Professor?" James asked. "If there was some sort of chaos, I swear it wasn't me!" He insisted. McGonagall's lips twitched.

"Nothing is wrong. I merely called you in here to inform you that you will be meeting with Miss Evans once a week to tutor her in Transfiguration." I died inside. _Noooooo! This could. Not. Be. Happening. I was being tutored by James bloody Potter! Why him? Because McGonagall has decided she wants us to murder each other, that's why! And then Potter has to nod and say,_ "Of course professor" _like he's actually pleased to be teaching me!_

"You may go, I expect you to work hard, Miss Evans. And I expect you to be patient, Potter." McGonagall dismissed them. Lily turned and hurried out of the classroom, down a few flights of stairs, and down a corridor to a small, little known staircase. Lily sat down and choked back her tears. _You do not cry, Lily!_ The last time she'd cried was in 3rd year. Crying was a sign of weakness, and she couldn't be weak. If she was, how would she be able to deal with everything? _Okay, forget trying not to cry._ Lily thought as her throat burned and tears slid out of her eyes. Soon the tears were flowing too fast to be stopped.

"Evans?" A soft voice interrupted her thoughts. She glanced up. _Oh, well isn't this bloody brilliant? Potter, come to mock me no doubt. The weakling who cries._

"Go away, Potter." She replied, wiping her eyes.

"Not until you tell me why you're crying."

"No"

"C'mon, Lily, I'm not that bad! The last time I saw you cry was in Third year."

Lily shook her head. "I'm not telling you, so just go away." she buried her face in her arms and waited for James to leave. She felt an arm around her shoulders and lifted her face. "What are you doing?" She sniffled as his other arm wrapped around her and pulled her close.

"Tell me why you're crying, and I'll leave you alone" Before Lily could stop herself, the whole story tumbled out of her mouth. Her doubts about herself as Head Girl, her worries about Voldemort and her family, Petunia being a jealous idiot and marrying 'that whale' Vernon, her Transfiguration troubles, the insane amount of homework she had to deal with, even her confusion about James being less of a prat and so she couldn't even figure out if she disliked him anymore or not. The whole way through, James kept his arm around her and listened attentively as her tears wet his shirt.

When she was finished, he smiled a little and murmured, "That's a lot to hold in, have you told your friends this?"

"No"

"Sometimes it helps to talk to someone, maybe you should tell them?" He suggested.

"Or maybe I just needed someone to listen?" Lily smiled a watery smile and stood up, reaching down to pull James up.

"Or that" He agreed. Lily pulled him into a tight hug. He grinned into her hair. He was hugging Lily Evans! It was a dream come true!

"Is 8:00 on Thursday good for tutoring?" Lily wondered. James chuckled.

"I think so, Lils, I think so"

And thus began the friendship of Lily Evans and James Potter.


End file.
